This invention relates to birdfeeders and more particularly to birdfeeder assemblies made up of upper and lower subassemblies joined together with a locking mechanism.
While birdfeeders seperable into parts for filling with bird feed have been proposed, many of these birdfeeders that must be disassembled to be filled with bird feed are assembled with small parts that are prone to become lost during the process of refilling the birdfeeder. Additionally, manipulation of these parts and tools may be difficult where an individual is attempting to reassemble a birdfeeder after it has been filled with bird feed, leading to spillage and waste.
Also, birdfeeders of this type are typically provided with proportionally small feed reservoirs, requiring that the bird feeder must be frequently refilled. In addition to being inconvenient for users, a small feed reservoir may periodically allow the feed to become exhausted, discouraging birds from visiting the birdfeeder and causing them to seek food elsewhere. Further, many of these birdfeeders having relatively small reservoirs are provided with small openings by which to fill the reservoir, which may also result in spilled and wasted feed and attendant aggravation felt by the person refilling the birdfeeder. Further yet, many of the birdfeeders of the prior art provide the bird feed in areas that are insufficiently sheltered, in turn allowing the feed to become wetted by precipitation, resulting in spoilage of the feed and clogging of the birdfeeder. Such insufficiently sheltered birdfeeders also expose birds visiting the birdfeeder to precipitation.
To overcome the problems discussed above, the present applicant previously invented a birdfeeder separable into two main subassemblies for quickly and conveniently filling the birdfeeder with bird feed without potential loss of parts or need for associated tools. One of the subassemblies includes a protective top for protecting birds and feed from precipitation and a lock rod extending downward from the top, and the other subassembly has a base with at least one cavity for receiving feed, a relatively large feed reservoir connected to the base, a tubular upright support member extending upward from the base and a locking mechanism carried by the base for releasably engaging the lock rod. This prior invention is the subject of U. S. Pat. No. 5,829,382, issued Nov. 3, 1998, which patent is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
While the invention as disclosed in the above-referenced patent is effective in most respects, further improvements would be desirable. In particular, the locking mechanism which engages a groove in the lock rod to secure the subassemblies together is located in the base disposed for horizontal movement of a locking pin into a groove, which is near the bottom of the lock rod, and the lock rod has its lower end disposed flush with the lower end of the upright tubular support member. As a result, if even a small amount of feed is inadvertently spilled into the top end of the tubular member in the process of filling the surrounding reservior, the presence of such feed underneath the bottom end of the lock rod will interfere with its moving down far enough to come into register with the inserting pin of the locking mechanism. Removal of spilled feed particles from the tubular support member once the reservoir is filled is difficult, and total prevention of spillage into the tubular support member while handling a relatively large amount of feed is not likely to be realized. Thus a need exists for a measure which facilitates removing of feed or material that forms an obstruction to operation of the locking mechanism. Other improvements directed to cost reduction, ease of manufacturing and use would also be desirable as a byproduct.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a birdfeeder that is separable into two main subassemblies for quickly and conveniently filling the birdfeeder without potential loss of parts or need for associated tools.
Another object is to provide a birdfeeder having a relatively large feed reservoir and a protective top.
Yet another object is to provide such a birdfeeder having a vertically extending lock rod connected to a top and a locking member releaseably engaging the lock rod within a vertical support member, with means being provided to keep the region of engagement free of extraneous feed particles.
Still another object is to provide a passageway to enable escape of feed particles from a tubular suppport connected to a base component, for a birdfeeder either supported by means such as a ring at the top or mounted from below such as on a post.
The present invention is directed to a birdfeeder separable into two subassemblies, a first one comprising a protective top for protecting birds and bird feed from precipitation and having a lock rod extending downward from the top, with its lower end configured for receiving a locking member from a side direction. This subassembly includes a ring or other component for suspension of the bird feeder from above. The second subassembly has a base provided with at least one cavity for receiving and holding bird feed. The base may also be connected to a mounting structure for supporting the birdfeeder from below. A bird feed reservoir is attached to the base, and it is provided with at least one opening at a bottom end communicating with the cavity so that bird feed flows from the reservoir to the cavity as it is consumed. A tubular member extends from the base upward through the reservoir for guiding and supporting the lock rod inserted therein and to support one end of the locking mechanism.
The lock rod has a shortened length selected to place the bottom thereof in position spaced apart above the base, defining a vacant portion in the lower end of the tubular member, into which spilled feed particles could fall and move outward from the tubular member through an opening in the base without interfering with the connection of the lock rod and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a locking member such as a spring biased rod disposed in a housing for engagement with a groove or other receptacle in the lock rod. The housing is supported at one end by the reservoir wall and at the other end by being attached to the the tubular support by means such as a bracket, other mechanism or a one-piece molding, with the locking rod extending through an aperture in the tubular support.
In addition to eliminating problems related to operation of the locking mechanism which arise from the presence of particles of spilled feed at the area of operation, placing the locking mechanism at a much higher location and supporting it by the reservoir wall and the tubular support instead of embedding this component in the base adjacent the lower end of the support member provides other advantages. Removal of a large portion of the lock rod results in a need for less material, and the shorter rod is easier to handle, while still being effective. Placement of the locking mechanism for being supported by walls of the reservoir and tubular member results in easier manufacturing and lower costs than would be involved in embedding this component in the base.